System for illuminating and viewing recessed angled surfaces

ABSTRACT

An optical system may include an objective lens system having a primary optical axis and a relay lens system having a relay optical axis. The relay optical axis may have a first angular offset with respect to the primary optical axis. The objective lens system may be configured to provide light from a light source to the relay lens system and provide light from the relay lens system to an image sensor. The relay lens system may be configured to provide light from the objective lens system to an end face of an optical fiber, where the end face has a second angular offset with respect to a cross-sectional axis of the optical fiber. The relay lens system may provide light reflected from the end face to the objective lens system.

RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.16/859,278, filed Apr. 27, 2020 (now U.S. Pat. No. 11,489,989), which isincorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

Contaminants, such as dust, dirt, oil, and/or the like, on an end faceof an optical fiber connector can negatively impact network performanceby increasing signal loss and damaging the optical fiber. As bandwidthdemands rise and signal loss budgets become tighter, the ability toinspect end faces of optical fibers before connecting has becomecritical.

SUMMARY

According to some implementations, an optical system may include: anobjective lens system having a primary optical axis; and a relay lenssystem having a relay optical axis, wherein the relay optical axis has afirst angular offset with respect to the primary optical axis; whereinthe objective lens system is configured to: provide light from a lightsource to the relay lens system, and provide light from the relay lenssystem to an image sensor; and wherein the relay lens system isconfigured to: provide light from the objective lens system to an endface of an optical fiber, wherein the end face has a second angularoffset with respect to a cross-sectional axis of the optical fiber, andprovide light reflected from the end face to the objective lens system.

According to some implementations, a device may include an attachmenthousing having a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the distal endis configured to be positioned within a bulkhead; an objective lenssystem having a primary optical axis; and a relay lens system positionedwithin the distal end of the attachment housing, wherein the relay lenssystem has a relay optical axis having a first angular offset withrespect to the primary optical axis; wherein the objective lens systemis configured to: provide light from a light source to the relay lenssystem, and provide light from the relay lens system to an image sensor;and wherein the relay lens system is configured to: provide light fromthe objective lens system to an end face of an optical fiber, whereinthe end face has a second angular offset with respect to across-sectional axis of the optical fiber, and provide light reflectedfrom the end face to the objective lens system.

According to some implementations, a method may include providing, by adevice, light along an illumination path to an end face of an opticalfiber, wherein the end face has a first angular offset with respect to across-sectional axis of the optical fiber, and wherein a portion of theillumination path proximate the end face has a second angular offsetwith respect to the mechanical axis of the bulkhead; and receiving, bythe device and with an image sensor, light reflected by the end face.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1A-1D are diagrams of one or more example implementations of anoptical device for illuminating and viewing recessed angled surfacesdescribed herein.

FIGS. 2A-2C are diagrams of one or more example implementations of anoptical device for illuminating and viewing recessed angled surfacesdescribed herein.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of an example process for illuminating and viewingan end face of an optical fiber.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following detailed description of example implementations refers tothe accompanying drawings. The same reference numbers in differentdrawings may identify the same or similar elements.

Before connecting an optical fiber to a device or another optical fiber,a technician may use a fiber inspection device (e.g., a video microscopeand/or the like) to inspect an end face of the optical fiber to confirmthat the end face is clean and undamaged. The fiber inspection devicemay include a light source to illuminate the end face and an imagesensor to capture images and/or video of the end face. The fiberinspection device may also include a series of lenses to provide lightfrom the light source to the end face and to provide light reflectedfrom the end face to the image sensor. For some optical fibers, the endface may be recessed within a connector and/or a bulkhead, and the fiberinspection device may include a tip designed to be inserted into theconnector and/or the bulkhead to position lenses near the end face.However, some optical fibers have an angled end face (e.g., an angledpolish fiber), and light reflects off the end face at an angle towardthe connector and/or the bulkhead. Because the light does not reflectback through the lenses, the fiber inspection device cannot form animage and/or video of the recessed, angled end face. Furthermore, whenoptical fibers having angled end faces are deployed in a physicallyconstrained system including high-density connectors, the technician mayneed to remove the optical fiber with an angled end face as well asmultiple adjacent connectors to image the angled end face, which furtherincreases risk of contamination and/or damage to the optical fibers.

Some implementations described herein provide an optical device and/oran optical system forming an illumination path from a light source to anangled end face of an optical fiber, where a portion of the illuminationpath proximate the angled end face has an angular offset with respect toa cross-sectional axis of the optical fiber. In some implementations,the optical device and/or the optical system may include an objectivelens system having a primary optical axis and a relay lens system havinga relay optical axis, where the relay optical axis has an angular offsetwith respect to the primary optical axis. In some implementations, theoptical system may include an objective lens system having a primaryoptical axis and a relay lens system, where an illumination path fromthe objective lens system to the relay lens system has an angular offsetwith respect to the primary optical axis. Including one or more suchangular offsets may permit light from the angled end face to reflectback into the relay lens system and through the objective lens system toan image sensor.

In this way, the image sensor may be used to provide an image of theangled end face to the technician, and the technician may determinewhether the angled end face is clean and undamaged (e.g., withoutremoving the bulkhead of the connector, which may introduce additionalcontaminants).

FIGS. 1A-1D are diagrams of one or more example implementations 100 ofan optical device for illuminating and viewing recessed angled surfacesdescribed herein. As shown in FIG. 1A, the optical device may include adevice housing 102, a light source 104, a diffuser 106, a condensinglens system 108, a semi-reflective beam splitter 110, an objective lenssystem 112, an image sensor 114, a relay lens system 116, and anattachment housing 118. In some implementations, one or more elements ofthe optical device may form an optical system. For example, the opticalsystem may include the diffuser 106, the condensing lens system 108, thesemi-reflective beam splitter 110, the objective lens system 112, therelay lens system 116, and/or the like. As shown in FIG. 1A, the lightsource 104, the diffuser 106, the condensing lens system 108, thesemi-reflective beam splitter 110, the objective lens system 112, andthe image sensor 114 may be positioned within the device housing 102. Insome implementations, the optical device may illuminate an end face ofan optical fiber 120 recessed within a bulkhead 122 (e.g., of aconnector, of an optical switch, and/or the like). In someimplementations, the optical device may be a finite conjugate imagingmicroscope with coaxial illumination.

In some implementations, the light source 104 (e.g., alight-emitting-diode and/or the like) may provide light for illuminatingthe end face of the optical fiber 120 as described herein with respectto FIGS. 1B-1D. As shown in FIG. 1A, the diffuser 106 may be positionedbetween the light source 104 and the condensing lens system 108.

As shown in FIG. 1A, the condensing lens system 108 may be positionedbetween the diffuser 106 and the semi-reflective beam splitter 110. Insome implementations, the condensing lens system 108 may be configuredto provide structure to light from the light source 104 (e.g., providedby the diffuser 106) as described herein with respect to FIGS. 1B-1D.For example, the condensing lens system 108 may include a collimatinglens. In some implementations, the condensing lens system 108 mayinclude one or more optical components (e.g., one or more lenses, one ormore filters, one or more prisms, one or more reflective components, oneor more diffraction gratings, and/or the like).

As shown in FIG. 1A, the semi-reflective beam splitter 110 may bepositioned between the objective lens system 112 and the image sensor114. In some implementations, the semi-reflective beam splitter 110 maybe configured to and/or may be positioned to reflect light from thelight source 104 (e.g., provided by the condensing lens system 108) tothe objective lens system 112 as described herein with respect to FIGS.1B-1D. Additionally, or alternatively, the semi-reflective beam splitter110 may be configured and/or may be positioned to pass light from theobjective lens system 112 to the image sensor 114 as described hereinwith respect to FIGS. 1B-1D.

As shown in FIG. 1A, the objective lens system 112 may be positionedbetween the semi-reflective beam splitter 110 and the relay lens system116. In some implementations, the objective lens system 112 may beconfigured to provide light from the light source 104 (e.g., provided bythe semi-reflective beam splitter 110) to the relay lens system 116 andprovide light from the relay lens system 116 to the image sensor 114(e.g., through the semi-reflective beam splitter 110) as describedherein with respect to FIGS. 1B-1D.

In some implementations, the objective lens system 112 may include oneor more optical components (e.g., one or more lenses, one or morefilters, one or more prisms, one or more reflective components, one ormore diffraction gratings, and/or the like). For example, the objectivelens system 112 may include two or more lenses positioned adjacent toeach other.

As shown in FIG. 1A, the image sensor 114 may be positioned on anopposite side of the semi-reflective beam splitter 110 as compared tothe objective lens system 112. In some implementations, the image sensor114 may be configured to capture an image of the end face of the opticalfiber 120. In some implementations, the image sensor 114 may beconfigured to generate, based on light reflected from the end face ofthe optical fiber 120 (e.g., as described herein with respect to FIGS.1B-1D), signals, which may be used by the optical device and/or anotherdevice to generate and/or display an image of the end face of theoptical fiber 120.

As shown in FIG. 1A, the relay lens system 116 may be positioned on anopposite side of the objective lens system 112 as compared to thesemi-reflective beam splitter 110. In some implementations, and as shownin FIG. 1A, the relay lens system 116 may be positioned in theattachment housing 118. In some implementations, the relay lens system116 may be configured to provide light from the objective lens system112 to the end face of the optical fiber 120. Additionally, oralternatively, the relay lens system 116 may be configured to providelight from the end face of the optical fiber 120 to the objective lenssystem 112.

In some implementations, the relay lens system 116 may include one ormore optical components (e.g., one or more lenses, one or more filters,one or more prisms, one or more reflective components, one or morediffraction gratings, and/or the like). For example, the relay lenssystem 116 may include two or more lenses, such as a pair of lensespositioned adjacent to each other, a pair of lenses where one lens is tobe positioned near the end face of the optical fiber 120, and/or thelike.

As shown in FIG. 1A, the attachment housing 118 may have a proximal end(e.g., adjacent the device housing 102) and a distal end, where thedistal end is configured to be positioned within the bulkhead 122. Insome implementations, the attachment housing 118 may be removablyattached to the device housing 102 (e.g., via a threaded fastener and/orthe like) such that the optical device may be used with otherattachments. As shown in FIG. 1A, the relay lens system 116 may bepositioned within the distal end of the attachment housing 118. In someimplementations, the objective lens system 112 may be positioned withinthe proximal end of the attachment housing 118.

As shown in FIG. 1A, the objective lens system 112 may have a primaryoptical axis 124, and the relay lens system 116 may have a relay opticalaxis 126. In some implementations, and as shown in FIG. 1A, the primaryoptical axis 124 and the relay optical axis 126 may intersect at anintermediate image plane 128 of the image sensor 114. In someimplementations, the intermediate image plane 128 may correspond to aplane where an image of the end face of optical fiber 120 is formed bythe relay lens system 116.

As shown in FIG. 1A, the relay optical axis 126 may have a first angularoffset 130 with respect to the primary optical axis 124. In someimplementations, a position of the relay lens system 116 and/or thefirst angular offset 130 may be configured such that the primary opticalaxis 124 and the relay optical axis 126 may intersect at theintermediate image plane 128. In some implementations, the first angularoffset 130 may be configured such that at least a portion of lightreflected from the end face of the optical fiber 120 passes through therelay lens system 116 (e.g., as described herein with respect to FIGS.1B-1D). In some implementations, the first angular offset 130 may beapproximately 4 degrees.

As shown in FIG. 1A, the end face of the optical fiber 120 may have asecond angular offset 132 with respect to a cross-sectional axis of theoptical fiber 120. In some implementations, the cross-sectional axis ofthe optical fiber 120 may be perpendicular to a lengthwise optical axisof the optical fiber 120. Additionally, or alternatively, the secondangular offset 132 may be with respect to a mechanical axis of thebulkhead 122. In some implementations, the mechanical axis of thebulkhead 122 may be perpendicular to an opening axis defined by anopening in the bulkhead for providing access to the end face of theoptical fiber 120. For example, the opening axis may be substantiallyparallel to the relay optical axis 126 shown in FIG. 1A. In someimplementations, the second angular offset 132 may be approximately 8degrees.

FIG. 1B is a schematic diagram of the example implementation 100 of theoptical device showing the optical elements of the optical device and anillumination path of light from the light source 104 to the end face ofthe optical fiber 120 recessed within the bulkhead 122. As shown in FIG.1B, the light source 104 may provide light to the diffuser 106, and thediffuser 106 may diffuse and/or scatter light from the light source 104and provide the light to the condensing lens system 108.

As shown in FIG. 1B, light rays traveling from the diffuser 106 to thecondensing lens system 108 may be diverging. In some implementations,the condensing lens system 108 may be configured to collimate thediverging light and provide the light to the semi-reflective beamsplitter 110.

As shown in FIG. 1B, the semi-reflective beam splitter 110 may beconfigured to and/or may be positioned to reflect light from thecondensing lens system 108 to the objective lens system 112. Forexample, and as shown in FIG. 1A, the semi-reflective beam splitter 110may be positioned such that a middle point of the semi-reflective beamsplitter 110 is aligned with the primary optical axis 124 of theobjective lens system 112. Additionally, or alternatively, thesemi-reflective beam splitter 110 may be positioned at an angle suchthat an illumination path of the light from the semi-reflective beamsplitter 110 to the objective lens system 112 is parallel to the primaryoptical axis 124 of the objective lens system 112.

As shown in FIG. 1B, the objective lens system 112 may be configured toprovide light from the semi-reflective beam splitter 110 to the relaylens system 116. In some implementations, and as shown in FIG. 1B, theobjective lens system 112 may be configured to focus the light from thesemi-reflective beam splitter 110 such that all of the light enters theopening in the bulkhead 122. Additionally, or alternatively, theobjective lens system 112 may be configured to focus the light from thesemi-reflective beam splitter 110 such that at least a majority of thelight (e.g., at least 60 percent, at least 70 percent, at least 80percent, at least 90 percent, and/or the like) enters the opening in thebulkhead 122.

As shown in FIG. 1B, the relay lens system 116 may be configured toprovide light from the objective lens system 112 to the end face of theoptical fiber 120. In some implementations, and as shown in FIG. 1B, thelight from the objective lens system 112 may be incident on the relaylens system 116 at an offset position of the relay lens system 116 dueto the first angular offset 130 of the relay optical axis 126 withrespect to the primary optical axis 124 as shown in FIG. 1A. Even thoughthe light is incident on the relay lens system 116 at the offsetposition, the relay lens system 116 may provide the light to the endface of the optical fiber 120. In some implementations, the relay lenssystem 116 may be configured to focus the light from the objective lenssystem 112 such that all of the light is incident on the end face of theoptical fiber 120. Additionally, or alternatively, the relay lens system116 may be configured to focus the light from the objective lens system112 such that at least a majority of the light (e.g., at least 60percent, at least 70 percent, at least 80 percent, at least 90 percent,and/or the like) is incident on the end face of the optical fiber 120.

In some implementations, and as shown in FIG. 1B, light traveling fromthe relay lens system 116 to the end face of the optical fiber 120 maypass along a portion 134 of the illumination path proximate the end faceof the optical fiber 120. As shown in FIG. 1B, the portion 134 of theillumination path proximate the end face of the optical fiber 120 mayhave a third angular offset 136 with respect to the cross-sectional axisof the optical fiber 120. In some implementations, the first angularoffset 130 of the relay optical axis 126 with respect to the primaryoptical axis 124 (shown in FIG. 1A) may cause the portion 134 of theillumination path to have the third angular offset 136. By causing theportion 134 of the illumination path proximate the end face of theoptical fiber 120 to have the third angular offset 136, at least aportion of light incident on the end face of the optical fiber 120 maybe reflected, by the end face, back to the relay lens system 116 (asshown in FIG. 1C) even though the end face of the optical fiber 120 hasthe second angular offset 132.

FIG. 1C is a schematic diagram of the example implementation 100 showingan enlarged view of the relay lens system 116, the end face of theoptical fiber 120, and the portion 134 of the illumination pathproximate the end face of the optical fiber 120. In FIG. 1C, the dashedlines represent light when the relay optical axis 126 corresponds to theprimary optical axis 124 (e.g., the relay optical axis 126 does not havethe first angular offset 130 with respect to the primary optical axis124 as shown in FIG. 1A) and the portion 134 of the illumination pathdoes not have the third angular offset 136 (e.g., as shown in FIG. 1B).As shown by the dashed lines in FIG. 1C, only a portion of the lightpassing through relay lens system 116 is incident on the end face of theoptical fiber 120, and, due to the second angular offset 132 (as shownin FIG. 1A) of the end face, light reflected by the end face of theoptical fiber 120 does not pass through the relay lens system 116.Because the light reflected by the end face of the optical fiber 120does not pass through the relay lens system 116, the image sensor 114may not capture an image of the end face of the optical fiber 120.

In FIG. 1C, the solid lines represent light when the relay optical axis126 has the first angular offset 130 with respect to the primary opticalaxis 124 (as shown in FIG. 1A) and the portion 134 of the illuminationpath has the third angular offset 136 (e.g., as shown in FIG. 1B). Asshown by the solid lines in FIG. 1C, all of the light passing throughrelay lens system 116 is incident on the end face of the optical fiber120, and, despite the second angular offset 132 (as shown in FIG. 1A) ofthe end face, light reflected by the end face of the optical fiber 120passes through the relay lens system 116. Because the light reflected bythe end face of the optical fiber 120 passes through the relay lenssystem 116, the image sensor 114 may capture an image of the end face ofthe optical fiber 120.

FIG. 1D is a schematic diagram of the example implementation 100 of theoptical device showing the optical elements of the optical device and animaging path of light from the end face of the optical fiber 120 to theimage sensor 114. As shown in FIG. 1D, the end face of the optical fiber120 may reflect light incident on the end face of the optical fiber 120back to the relay lens system 116 (e.g., as also shown in FIG. 1C).

As shown in FIG. 1D, the relay lens system 116 may provide lightreflected from the end face of the optical fiber 120 to the objectivelens system 112. In some implementations, light from the relay lenssystem 116 may pass through the intermediate image plane 128 on theimaging path to the objective lens system 112. For example, the relaylens system 116 may form an image (e.g., of the end face of the opticalfiber 120) at the intermediate image plane 128.

As shown in FIG. 1D, the objective lens system 112 may provide lightfrom the relay lens system 116 through the semi-reflective beam splitter110 to the image sensor 114. For example, the objective lens system 112may relay the image formed by the relay lens system 116 to the imagesensor 114. In some implementations, the objective lens system 112 mayre-image the image formed by the relay lens system 116.

As described with respect to FIG. 1A, the semi-reflective beam splitter110 may be configured to and/or may be positioned to pass light from theobjective lens system 112 to the image sensor 114. Based on lightreflected from the end face of the optical fiber 120 provided to theimage sensor 114 by the relay lens system 116 and the objective lenssystem 112, the image sensor 114 may capture an image of the end face ofthe optical fiber 120 and/or generate signals, which may be used by theoptical device and/or another device to generate and/or display an imageof the end face of the optical fiber 120. In this way, the opticaldevice and/or the optical system may illuminate and capture an image ofan angled end face of the optical fiber 120 recessed within the bulkhead122, which may be used by a technician to determine whether the angledend face is clean and undamaged (e.g., without removing the bulkhead ofthe connector, which may introduce additional contaminants).

As indicated above, FIGS. 1A-1D are provided merely as one or moreexamples. Other examples may differ from what is described with regardto FIGS. 1A-1D.

FIGS. 2A-2C are diagrams of one or more example implementations 200 ofan optical device for illuminating and viewing recessed angled surfacesdescribed herein. As shown in FIG. 2A, the optical device may include adevice housing 202, a light source 204, a diffuser 206, a condensinglens system 208, a semi-reflective beam splitter 210, an objective lenssystem 212, an image sensor 214, a relay lens system 216, and anattachment housing 218. In some implementations, one or more elements ofthe optical device may form an optical system. For example, the opticalsystem may include the diffuser 206, the condensing lens system 208, thesemi-reflective beam splitter 210, the objective lens system 212, therelay lens system 216, and/or the like. As shown in FIG. 2A, the lightsource 204, the diffuser 206, the condensing lens system 208, thesemi-reflective beam splitter 210, the objective lens system 212, andthe image sensor 214 may be positioned within the device housing 202. Insome implementations, the optical device may illuminate an end face ofan optical fiber 220 recessed within a bulkhead 222 (e.g., of aconnector, of an optical switch, and/or the like).

In some implementations, the light source 204, the diffuser 206, and thecondensing lens system 208, respectively, may be similar to the lightsource 104, the diffuser 106, and the condensing lens system 108described herein with respect to FIGS. 1A-1D. For example, and as shownin FIG. 2A, the diffuser 206 may be positioned between the light source204 and the condensing lens system 208.

In some implementations, the semi-reflective beam splitter 210 may besimilar to the semi-reflective beam splitter 110 described herein withrespect to FIGS. 1A-1D. However, in some implementations, and as shownin FIG. 2A, the semi-reflective beam splitter 210 may be positioned in alocation that is shifted (e.g., perpendicularly) from a primary opticalaxis 224 of the objective lens element 212 as compared to a position ofthe semi-reflective beam splitter 110 with respect to the primaryoptical axis 124 described herein with respect to FIGS. 1A-1D.Additionally, or alternatively, the semi-reflective beam splitter 210may be positioned at an angle that is different from an angle at whichthe semi-reflective beam splitter 110 is positioned.

In some implementations, the objective lens system 212 may be similar tothe objective lens system 112 as described herein with respect to FIGS.1A-1D. For example, the objective lens system 212 may have a primaryoptical axis 224 and may be configured to provide light from the lightsource 204 (e.g., provided by the semi-reflective beam splitter 210) tothe relay lens system 216 and provide light from the relay lens system216 to the image sensor 214 (e.g., through the semi-reflective beamsplitter 210) as described herein with respect to FIGS. 2B-2C.

In some implementations, the image sensor 214 may be similar to theimage sensor 114 as described herein with respect to FIGS. 1A-1D. Forexample, the image sensor 214 may be configured to capture an image ofthe end face of the optical fiber 120 at an intermediate image plane226.

In some implementations, the relay lens system 216 may be similar to therelay lens system 116 as described herein with respect to FIGS. 1A-1D.However, in some implementations, and as shown in FIG. 2A, the relaylens system 216 may share the primary optical axis 224 with theobjective lens system 212. In other words, the relay lens system 216 maynot have the relay optical axis 126 having the first angular offset 120as compared to the relay lens system 116 as described herein withrespect to FIGS. 1A-1D. Stated yet another way, the relay lens system216 may have a relay optical axis, but the relay optical axis maycorrespond to the primary optical axis 224 and may not have an angularoffset with respect to the primary optical axis 224.

As shown in FIG. 2A, the attachment housing 218 may have a proximal end(e.g., adjacent the device housing 202) and a distal end, where thedistal end is configured to be positioned within the bulkhead 222. Insome implementations, the attachment housing 218 may be similar to theattachment housing 118 described herein with respect to FIGS. 1A-1D. Forexample, and as shown in FIG. 2A, the relay lens system 216 may bepositioned within the distal end of the attachment housing 218. In someimplementations, the objective lens system 212 may be positioned withinthe proximal end of the attachment housing 218.

As shown in FIG. 2A, the end face of the optical fiber 220 may have afirst angular offset 228 with respect to a cross-sectional axis of theoptical fiber 220. In some implementations, the cross-sectional axis ofthe optical fiber 220 may be perpendicular to a lengthwise optical axisof the optical fiber 220. Additionally, or alternatively, the firstangular offset 228 may be with respect to a mechanical axis of thebulkhead 222. In some implementations, the mechanical axis of thebulkhead 222 may be perpendicular to an opening axis defined by anopening in the bulkhead for providing access to the end face of theoptical fiber 220. For example, the opening axis may be substantiallyparallel to the primary optical axis 224 shown in FIG. 2A. In someimplementations, the first angular offset 228 may be approximately 8degrees.

FIG. 2B is a schematic diagram of the example implementation 200 of theoptical device showing the optical elements of the optical device and anillumination path of light from the light source 204 to the end face ofthe optical fiber 220 recessed within the bulkhead 222. As shown in FIG.2B, the light source 204 may provide light to the diffuser 206, and thediffuser 206 may diffuse and/or scatter light from the light source 204and provide the light to the condensing lens system 208.

As shown in FIG. 2B, light rays traveling from the diffuser 206 to thecondensing lens system 208 may be diverging. In some implementations,the condensing lens system 208 may be configured to collimate thediverging light and provide the light to the semi-reflective beamsplitter 210.

As shown in FIG. 2B, the semi-reflective beam splitter 210 may beconfigured to and/or may be positioned to reflect light from thecondensing lens system 208 to the objective lens system 212. In someimplementations, and as shown in FIG. 2B, the semi-reflective beamsplitter 110 may be positioned to reflect light from the condensing lenssystem 208 to the objective lens system 212 along a first portion 230 ofan illumination path having a second angular offset 232 with respect tothe primary optical axis 224 of the objective lens system 212. Forexample, the semi-reflective beam splitter 210 may be positioned suchthat a middle point of the semi-reflective beam splitter 210 is notaligned with the primary optical axis 224 of the objective lens system212 to achieve the second angular offset 232. Additionally, oralternatively, the semi-reflective beam splitter 210 may be positionedat an angle such that the first portion 230 of the illumination path hasthe second angular offset 232 with respect to the primary optical axis224.

As shown in FIG. 2B, the objective lens system 212 may be configured toprovide light from the semi-reflective beam splitter 210 to the relaylens system 216. In some implementations, and as shown in FIG. 2B, theobjective lens system 212 may be configured to focus the light from thesemi-reflective beam splitter 210 such that all of the light enters theopening in the bulkhead 222. Additionally, or alternatively, theobjective lens system 212 may be configured to focus the light from thesemi-reflective beam splitter 210 such that at least a majority of thelight (e.g., at least 60 percent, at least 70 percent, at least 80percent, at least 90 percent, and/or the like) enters the opening in thebulkhead 222.

As shown in FIG. 2B, the relay lens system 216 may be configured toprovide light from the objective lens system 212 to the end face of theoptical fiber 220. In some implementations, and as shown in FIG. 2B, thelight from the objective lens system 212 may be incident on the relaylens system 216 at an offset position of the relay lens system 216 dueto the second angular offset 232 of the first portion 230 of theillumination path with respect to the primary optical axis 224. Eventhough the light is incident on the relay lens system 216 at the offsetposition, the relay lens system 216 may provide the light to the endface of the optical fiber 220. In some implementations, the relay lenssystem 216 may be configured to focus the light from the objective lenssystem 212 such that all of the light is incident on the end face of theoptical fiber 220. Additionally, or alternatively, the relay lens system216 may be configured to focus the light from the objective lens system212 such that at least a majority of the light (e.g., at least 60percent, at least 70 percent, at least 80 percent, at least 90 percent,and/or the like) is incident on the end face of the optical fiber 220.

In some implementations, and as shown in FIG. 2B, light traveling fromthe relay lens system 216 to the end face of the optical fiber 220 maypass along a portion 234 of the illumination path proximate the end faceof the optical fiber 220. As shown in FIG. 2B, the portion 234 of theillumination path proximate the end face of the optical fiber 220 mayhave a third angular offset 236 with respect to the cross-sectional axisof the optical fiber 220. In some implementations, the second angularoffset 232 of the first portion 230 of the illumination path withrespect to the primary optical axis 224 may cause the portion 234 of theillumination path to have the third angular offset 236. By causing theportion 234 of the illumination path proximate the end face of theoptical fiber 220 to have the third angular offset 236, at least aportion of light incident on the end face of the optical fiber 220 maybe reflected, by the end face, back to the relay lens system 216 (asshown in FIG. 2C) even though the end face of the optical fiber 220 hasthe first angular offset 228. For example, the end face of the opticalfiber 220 may reflect light incident on the end face of the opticalfiber 220 back to the relay lens system 216 in a manner similar to thatdescribed herein with respect to FIG. 1C.

FIG. 2C is a schematic diagram of the example implementation 200 of theoptical device showing the optical elements of the optical device and animaging path of light from the end face of the optical fiber 220 to theimage sensor 214. As shown in FIG. 2C, the end face of the optical fiber220 may reflect light incident on the end face of the optical fiber 220back to the relay lens system 216 (e.g., as also shown in FIG. 1C).

As shown in FIG. 2C, the relay lens system 216 may provide lightreflected from the end face of the optical fiber 220 to the objectivelens system 212. In some implementations, light from the relay lenssystem 216 may pass through the intermediate image plane 226 on theimaging path to the objective lens system 212.

As shown in FIG. 2C, the objective lens system 212 may provide lightfrom the relay lens system 216 through the semi-reflective beam splitter210 to the image sensor 214. As described with respect to FIG. 2A, thesemi-reflective beam splitter 210 may be configured to and/or may bepositioned to pass light from the objective lens system 212 to the imagesensor 214. Based on light reflected from the end face of the opticalfiber 220 provided to the image sensor 214 by the relay lens system 216and the objective lens system 212, the image sensor 214 may capture animage of the end face of the optical fiber 220 and/or generate signals,which may be used by the optical device and/or another device togenerate and/or display an image of the end face of the optical fiber220. In this way, the optical device and/or the optical system mayilluminate and capture an image of an angled end face of the opticalfiber 220 recessed within the bulkhead 222, which may be used by atechnician to determine whether the angled end face is clean andundamaged (e.g., without removing the bulkhead of the connector, whichmay introduce additional contaminants).

As indicated above, FIGS. 2A-2C are provided merely as one or moreexamples. Other examples may differ from what is described with regardto FIGS. 2A-2C.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of an example process 300 for illuminating andviewing an end face of an optical fiber. In some implementations, one ormore process blocks of FIG. 3 may be performed by a device (e.g., anoptical device such as described with respect to FIGS. 1A-1D and/orFIGS. 2A-2C). In some implementations, one or more process blocks ofFIG. 3 may be performed by another device or a group of devices separatefrom or including the device, such as an optical system (e.g., anoptical system such as described with respect to FIGS. 1A-1D and/orFIGS. 2A-2C), and/or the like.

As shown in FIG. 3 , process 300 may include providing light along anillumination path to an end face of an optical fiber, wherein the endface has a first angular offset with respect to a cross-sectional axisof the optical fiber, and wherein a portion of the illumination pathproximate the end face has a second angular offset with respect to thecross-sectional axis of the optical fiber (block 310). For example, thedevice (e.g., using a light source, a diffuser, a condensing lenssystem, a semi-reflective beam splitter, an objective lens system, arelay lens system, and/or the like) may provide light along anillumination path to an end face of an optical fiber, as describedabove. In some implementations, the end face is recessed within abulkhead. In some implementations, the end face has a first angularoffset with respect to a cross-sectional axis of the optical fiber. Insome implementations, a portion of the illumination path proximate theend face has a second angular offset with respect to the cross-sectionalaxis of the optical fiber.

As further shown in FIG. 3 , process 300 may include receiving, with animage sensor, light reflected by the end face (block 320). For example,the device (e.g., using a relay lens system, an objective lens system, asemi-reflective beam splitter, and/or the like) may receive, with animage sensor, light reflected by the end face, as described above.

Process 300 may include additional implementations, such as any singleimplementation or any combination of implementations described belowand/or in connection with one or more other processes describedelsewhere herein.

In a first implementation, providing the light along the illuminationpath includes providing, with an objective lens system, the light to arelay lens system positioned within a bulkhead, wherein the portion ofthe illumination path proximate the end face extends from the relay lenssystem to the end face.

In a second implementation, alone or in combination with the firstimplementation, the illumination path from the objective lens system tothe relay lens system is parallel to a primary optical axis of theobjective lens system, and the relay lens system has a relay opticalaxis having a third angular offset with respect to the primary opticalaxis.

In a third implementation, alone or in combination with one or more ofthe first and second implementations, the illumination path, from theobjective lens system to the relay lens system, has a third angularoffset with respect to a primary optical axis of the objective lenssystem.

In a fourth implementation, alone or in combination with one or more ofthe first through third implementations, process 300 includespositioning a portion of the device within a bulkhead.

In a fifth implementation, alone or in combination with one or more ofthe first through fourth implementations, process 300 includescapturing, with the image sensor, an image of the end face.

Although FIG. 3 shows example blocks of process 300, in someimplementations, process 300 may include additional blocks, fewerblocks, different blocks, or differently arranged blocks than thosedepicted in FIG. 3 . Additionally, or alternatively, two or more of theblocks of process 300 may be performed in parallel.

The foregoing disclosure provides illustration and description, but isnot intended to be exhaustive or to limit the implementations to theprecise forms disclosed. Modifications and variations may be made inlight of the above disclosure or may be acquired from practice of theimplementations.

Even though particular combinations of features are recited in theclaims and/or disclosed in the specification, these combinations are notintended to limit the disclosure of various implementations. In fact,many of these features may be combined in ways not specifically recitedin the claims and/or disclosed in the specification. Although eachdependent claim listed below may directly depend on only one claim, thedisclosure of various implementations includes each dependent claim incombination with every other claim in the claim set.

No element, act, or instruction used herein should be construed ascritical or essential unless explicitly described as such. Also, as usedherein, the articles “a” and “an” are intended to include one or moreitems, and may be used interchangeably with “one or more.” Further, asused herein, the article “the” is intended to include one or more itemsreferenced in connection with the article “the” and may be usedinterchangeably with “the one or more.” Furthermore, as used herein, theterm “set” is intended to include one or more items (e.g., relateditems, unrelated items, a combination of related and unrelated items,etc.), and may be used interchangeably with “one or more.” Where onlyone item is intended, the phrase “only one” or similar language is used.Also, as used herein, the terms “has,” “have,” “having,” or the like areintended to be open-ended terms. Further, the phrase “based on” isintended to mean “based, at least in part, on” unless explicitly statedotherwise. Also, as used herein, the term “or” is intended to beinclusive when used in a series and may be used interchangeably with“and/or,” unless explicitly stated otherwise (e.g., if used incombination with “either” or “only one of”).

What is claimed is:
 1. An optical system, comprising: a relay lenssystem; and an objective lens system configured to: provide light from alight source to the relay lens system, and provide light from the relaylens system to an image sensor; wherein the relay lens system isconfigured to: provide light from the objective lens system to an angledend face of an optical fiber, and provide light reflected from theangled end face to the objective lens system.
 2. The optical system ofclaim 1, wherein the angled end face is positioned within a bulkhead. 3.The optical system of claim 2, wherein a primary optical axis, of theobjective lens system, and a relay optical axis, of the relay lenssystem, intersect at an intermediate image plane of the image sensor,and wherein the intermediate image plane is within the bulkhead.
 4. Theoptical system of claim 2, wherein the relay lens system is positionedwithin the bulkhead.
 5. The optical system of claim 1, wherein at leastone of the objective lens system or the relay lens system comprises twoor more adjacently-positioned lenses.
 6. The optical system of claim 1,further comprising: a semi-reflective beam splitter configured to:reflect light from the light source to the objective lens system, andpass light from the objective lens system to the image sensor.
 7. Theoptical system of claim 1, further comprising: a condensing lens systempositioned between the light source and the objective lens system,wherein the condensing lens system is configured to provide structure tolight from the light source.
 8. The optical system of claim 1, whereinan illumination path extends from the light source to the angled endface.
 9. The optical system of claim 8, wherein the illumination path,between the relay lens system and the angled end face, has an angularoffset with respect to a cross-sectional axis of the optical fiber. 10.A device, comprising: an attachment housing; an objective lens systempositioned within the attachment housing; and a relay lens systempositioned within the attachment housing; wherein the objective lenssystem is configured to provide light from the relay lens system to animage sensor; and wherein the relay lens system is configured to:provide light from the objective lens system to an angled end face of anoptical fiber, and provide light reflected from the angled end face tothe objective lens system.
 11. The device of claim 10, wherein the relaylens system is positioned within a distal end of the attachment housing,and wherein the distal end of the attachment housing is positionedwithin a bulkhead.
 12. The device of claim 11, wherein the objectivelens system is positioned within a proximal end of the attachmenthousing.
 13. The device of claim 10, further comprising: asemi-reflective beam splitter configured to: reflect light from thelight source to the objective lens system, and pass light from theobjective lens system to the image sensor.
 14. The device of claim 10,further comprising: the light source; and the image sensor.
 15. Thedevice of claim 10, wherein an illumination path extends from the lightsource to the angled end face, wherein a portion of the illuminationpath, between the relay lens system and the angled end face, has anoffset with respect to a cross-sectional axis of the optical fiber. 16.A method, comprising: providing, by a device and to an angled end faceof an optical fiber, light along an illumination path and through anobjective lens system and a relay lens system; and receiving, by animage sensor of the device, light reflected by the angled end face. 17.The method of claim 16, wherein the relay lens system and the angled endface are positioned within a bulkhead of the device.
 18. The method ofclaim 16, wherein the illumination path, from the objective lens systemto the relay lens system, is parallel to a primary optical axis of theobjective lens system.
 19. The method of claim 16, wherein theillumination path, from the relay lens system to the angled end face,has an offset with respect to a cross-sectional axis of the opticalfiber.
 20. The method of claim 16, further comprising: capturing, by theimage sensor of the device, an image of the angled end face.